1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed towards an alarm system designed to protect the "interior" of a jewelry-type display case to the extent that unauthorized removal of tray elements or like display carriers, bearing jewelry or like articles being protected, will cause a disruption of current flow in predetermined and positioned circuitry and activation of an alarm assembly which will inform attendants or merchants associated with the display case that such unauthorized removal is being attempted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Alarm systems have for many years been adapted and designed for specific areas of application. In addition to rather large and often times complex systems which are intended to prevent unauthorized entry into residential or commercial dwellings, modern day electronics have made possible the adaptation of such systems for much smaller and limited applications. However, such limited applications are still of vast importance particularly to merchants who operate retail or like consumer outlets where vast numbers of the consuming public are allowed in the vicinity of valued articles of merchandise.
In the area of protecting jewelery and like relatively small and highly valued articles, the prior art includes numerous alarm systems associated directly with the protection of display cases. However, the vast majority of such systems are primarily directed towards the prevention and/or signalling of merchants when unauthorized entry into the interior of such display cases is attempted. Therefore, such prior art alarm systems are associated directly in combination with such a display case itself or alternately are positioned in surrounding areas to such display cases such that the presence or movement of an unauthorized person into a restricted area, such as behind a display case, is immediately apparent to the merchant. Professional thieves, however, are aware of such prior art devices and have devised many methods of readily overcoming such devices to the extent that undetected entry into the interior of display cases and access to the articles contained therein are not uncommon.
Such prior art devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,274,088; 4,293,852; 4,132,987; 4,155,457; and 3,459,424.
Based on the problems existing in the industry, it is generally accepted that there is a need for an alarm system which is readily adaptable to existing jewelery-type display cases without extensive modification thereto and further, wherein such a preferred system would be capable of signalling merchants or attendance of such cases even after unauthorized entry has been accomplished but prior to actual removal of the valued articles from the casing and/or surrounding premises. Further, such a preferred alarm system should be structured so as to adapt existing display cases with a minimal of additional expense but should be sufficiently reliable in construction and design so as to detect even the slightest displacement of jewelery display trays or supporting display platforms.